Shoe



Dec. 24, 1935. .1. .1. DALY ET AL 2,9257648 Filed` Aug. 2, 1935 J'aluzzZDay Clal'la'leollaq In venzton* I Patented Dec. 24,

UNITED, STATES PATENT oFlcE i Belm Application August 2, 1935, SerialNO. 34,306

4 Clams. (Cl. 36-245) This invention relates to the manufacture of shoesand contemplates a shoe wherein 'expensive materials are saved andweight reduced without detracting from the appearance or serviceabilityof the shoe.

Our shoe is comparable in appearance and service to far more expensiveshoes, but by reason of the manufacturing economies which we are abletoeffect can be produced at greatly re'- duced cost.

In carrying out our invention we use a special heel unit and a specialoutsole, and preferably connect the same by a bridge member in the formof a light-weight, inexpensive shank piece. The heel unit and outsoleare of such design as considerably to reduce the amount of expensive;

materials entering into the construction of the shoe, as well asconsiderably to reduce the weight ofl the shoe, and the light-weight.inexpensiveshank piece strengthens or trusses the shoe inthe regions ofthe outsole and heel unit where expensive materials vhave been removed.

Theseseveral features combine to produce in the completed shoe anunusually tight, snug and attractive joint between the upper materialsof the shoe and the heel unit and between the heel unit and the outsole.

As illustrative 'of the principles of our invention we show in theaccompanying drawing an embodiment thereof which we have found welladapted to the requirements of modem shoe man- 'ufacturing and highlysatisfactory in actual service. In such drawing:-'

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a shoe of the McKay typev inaccordance with our invention, it being understood. however, that theprinciples of our invention are applicable to other w types of shoes, asfor example, the standard welt or welt sole type.

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section.-

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on the breast, such an outsolebeing commonly termedI a short sole.

With such .an outsole we employ a heel unit of new .structure andresult. Our heel unit is a whole or solid heel. It is also a cuppedheel. At

its breast our heel unit is.of greater height than the conventionalrubber heel tap. Rearwardly from its breast our heel rapidly increasesin hei'ght.

recess adapted to snugly engage the beveled rear 10 end of the shortoutsole. Forwardly of such depressed sole-receiving recess and inprolongation thereof the` attaching faceis formed as a depressed shelfarea adapted to snugly engage the under face of the short outsole. Boththe de- 15 pressed sole-receiving recess and the depressed shelf areaextend across the width of the heelunit and are curved tocorrespond\substantially to the transverse curvature of the'concavedheel seat. T he outer margin of the attaching face is 20 'formed as anupwardly extending rim which boundsvall of said areas and provides .inthe region of the cupped rear area a seating surface adapted to snuglyengage the upper materials of 26- the shoe. 4

We have indicated at IO a short outsole, having its rear or overlappingend gradually beveled rearwardly as at for a distance substantially lcorre'sponding to the distance which the outsole overlaps the heel unit.30

` In order further to reduce weight and save expensive materials, theupper face of the shank area of the outsole is hollowed out between itsmarginal edges as indicated at |2. The material of the outsole thusremoved is substantially replaced and the outsole strengthened andstifiened by a shank piece |3 of lighter and more inexpensive material,such as Wood, fibre, composition 'or the like. This shank piecesubstantially fills the hollowed out portion or concavity |2 and extends40 rearwardly beyond the beveled rear end I I of the outsole. The shankpiece is slightly arched and at its forward end is secured to the usualinnersole '26 of the shoe in any suitable manner as by gluing. Ifdesired, the innersole 26 may be covered by any usual lining material21.

With a shoe of the McKay type as shown in the 4 -drawing, the marginaledge of the outsolevis preferably built up as at M as a stitch receivingedge of increased thickness. Where the outsole isv of molded rubber,such edge may take the form of alternate ridges and depressionssimulating in general appearance the appea'rance of the mechanicallyformed wheel marks in a leather outsole.

With such a short outsole we use a unitary heel, meaning thereby a wholeor solid heel which at its breast is of greater height than theconventional rubber heel tap and rearwardly from its breast graduallyincreases in height.

The rear area of the attaching face of said heel unit is cupped as at |5to provide a concaved heel seat surface. Forwardly of the same andmerging therewith is a substantial'length of' upwardly facingforwardlyinclined area IB. In advance of and merging with said forwardly inclinedarea |6 is a depressed shelf area l'l.

The forwardly inclined and shelf areas IS and l'l are transverselycurved to substantially correspond to the transverse curvature of thecupped rear area and the outer margin of. the heel unit is extendedupwardly as arims |8. The marginal rim |8 bounds all of the areas I 5,IG and I'l and provides' in the region of the cupped rear area a curvedseating surface |9 adapted to snugly engage the upper materials'S of theshoe, in the region of the forwardly inclined area IS seating 1 surfaces20 adapted to snugly engage the beveled rear end of the sole, and' inthe region of the.

shelf area l'l seating surfaces 2| adapted to snugly engage theunderface of the outsole.

As a result of this construction, the heel when nailed as at N and N1aifords a tight snug joint with the upper materials and with theoutsole. The upper materialsv are snugly`seated on the seating surfaceIB formed by the upwardly extending marginal rim IB adjacent the cuppedrear area of the heel unit and the overlapping rear end of the shortoutsole is snugly seated upon the seating surfaces 20 and 2 formed bythe rim |8 adjacent the depressed sole receiving recess formed by theareas IG and l'l.

Within the area of the heel unit bounded by the portions |5, IS and ITthe attaching face of the heel unit is hollowed out as indicated' at 22.This is done in the interest of reducing weight and saving expense ofmaterials. The hollowed out portion 22, however, may be and preferablyis of such design as to leave within the-same one or more vertical ribsor supports 23 which strengthen and stiffen the heel in this region. Asbest i shown in Fig. 4 these ribs 23 maybe left in the form of a T withthe cross bar of the T disposed toward the heel breast. Such arrangementis optional, however, and various other designs of stiifening andstrengthening ribs may be emlowing out such short' outsolel in its shankarea we effect an additional saving in material and accomplish a Vstillfurther reduction in weight due to the cheaper cost and lighter weightof the shank piece.

By using a vunitary heel unit which is concaved so deeply within themarginal rim thereof that the upper materials of the shoe and theoverlapping. end of the short outsole fit within and make a tight andsnug joint with said rim and by hollowing out such heel unit'as at 22,

we formin the attaehing face of the heel unit a hollow space whichconsiderably reduces the amount of expensive material and greatlylightens the weight of the heel unit.

Thus referring to Fig.i3 we save the cost and weight of all the materialof the heel unit in 5 the space which is filled by the rear end of theshank piece as well as the cost and weight of the material of the heelunit lying on either side a of the shank piece and extending toward thelateral margins of the heel unit. 10

When the shoe is nailed, the outer row of nails N tend to draw thecupped margins of the heel unit upwardly against the upper materials asaV tight snug joint in this region of the heel unit, certain pf thenails N1 .in the shelf area l'l penetrate the shank piece which isthereby caused to press from above on the overlapping rear end of theoutsole downwardly against the seating surfaces and 2| of the heel unit.

The shank piece, moreover, fills' the hollowed 20- out portion, |2 ofthe outer sole and lies substantially fiush with the upper face of theouter sole without bulging or giving the eflfect of a thick shank.Instead, the effect is that of a rounded bottom in the region of theshank which `which ;is ac'tually lighter in weight and contains a lesseramount of expensivev materials than the ordinary shoe with full outsole,heel lift or base, and conventional rubber heell tap. This not onlyaccomplishes a saving in manufacturing costs but a saving in freightrates due to the reduction in weight of our shoe as com- 40 pared withthe more expensive shoes.

After a shoe constructed in accordance with our invention has beenassembled, nailed and trimmed, the shoe is preferably finished in theheel area by staining the top portion of the heel unit as at 24 'tosimulate a heel base and by either ieaving the lower portion of the heelunit' unstained or if the heel unit was completely stained, then byscufllng oif such lower portion as at 25 to give the effect of a halfheel which simu- '50 lates in height and appearance the height andappearance of the conventional rubber heel tap.

Where so treated, the stained upper portion 2| of our heel unit occupiesthe position normally occupied by the interposed heel base lift or liftsof leather' in the more expensive shoe .and is stained to simulate thesame, and the lower portion 25 of our, heel unit occupies the .positionand simulates in height and appearance the height and appearance vof theconventional rubber heel tap. Thus, the shoe cannot be distinguished in'appearance from the more expensive shoe.

Various modifications in procedure and materials may obviously beresorted to within the' spirit and scope of our invention as defined bythe appended claims.

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. A shoe comprising upper materials; a' unitary heel and short outsoleterminating within the bounds of the heel in a beveled end, theattaching face of said heel unit having a cupped rear area bounded byupwardly projecting margins adapted for contact with the upper .ma-

terial of the shoe and being hollowed out within such margins and withinsuch hollowed out portion having a'seat for a shank pieceI there being asubstantial lengthof curved upwardly facing forwardly inciined area inprolongation of said cupped area and the margins of said inclined areaextending upwardly to contact the overlapping end of said outsole andbeing in prolongation of the upwardly projecting margins of said cuppedarea, a shank piece extending beyond the overlapping end of said outsoleand seating on said seat included within the boundary of 'said hollowedout portion of the heel unit, and means uniting said outsole and heelunit to the upper material of the shoe with the shank piece pressing theoverlapping end of the outsole to its seat on said heel unit.

2. A shoe comprising upper materials, a unitary heel and short outsoleterminating within the bounds of the heel in a beveled end, the upperface of said outsole in the shank area thereof being hollowed out, theattaching face of said heel unit having a cupped 'rear area bounded byupwardly projecting margins adapted'for contact with the upper materialof the shoe and being hollowed out within such margins and within suchhollowed out portion having a seat for a shankl piece, there being asubstantial length of curved upwardly facing forwardly inclined area inprolongation of said cupped area and the margins of said inclined areaextending upwardly to contact the overlapping end of said outsole andbeing in prolongation of the upwardly projecting margins of said cuppedarea, a shank piece disposed within the hollowed out portion of theoutsole and seating on said seat included within the boundary of saidhollowed out portion of the heel unit, and means uniting said outsoleand heel unit to the upper material of the shoe with the shank piecepressing the overlapping end of the outsole to its seat on said heelunit.

3. A shoe comprising upper materials, a unitary heel and short outsoleterminating within the bounds of the heel in a beveled end, the upper'face of said outsole in the shank area thereof being hollowed out, theattaching face of said heel unit having a cupped rear area bounded byupwardly projecting margins adapted for contact with the upper materialof the shoe and being hollowed out within such margins and within suchhollowed out portion lhaving a raised seat for a shank piece, therebeing a substantial length of curved upwardly facing forwardly inclinedarea in prolongation of said cupped area and a shelf area inprolongation of 10 said'inclined area and the margins of said inclinedand shelf areas extending upwardly to contact the overlapping end ofsaid outsole and being in prolongation of the upwardly projectingmargins of said cupped area, a shank piece dis- 15 'posed within thehollowed out portion of the outsole and extending beyond the overlappingend of said outsole and seating on said seat included within theboundary of said hollowed out portion of the heel unit, and meansuniting said sole and heelunit to the upper material of the shoe ,withthe shank piece pressing the overlapping end of the outsole to its seaton said` heel unit.

4. A shoe comprising upper materials, a short outsole having a hollowedout portion in its shank area, a unitary heel unit having a cupped rear`area providing a concave heel seat bounded by upwardly projectingmargins adapted for contact with the upper material of the shoe andhaving forwardly of said concave heel seat a depressed sole-receivingrecess across lthe width of the heel and curved to correspondsubstantially to the transverse curvature.r of the concave heel seat,there being a hollowed out portion within the confines of said upwardlyprojecting mar- 'gins, and a shank piece disposed in said hollowed outportion of the outsole and extending over said hollowed out portion ofthe heel unit as a bridge, and means uniting said outsole and 40 heelunit to the upper material with the shank piece pressing the overlappingend of the outsole to its seat within said heel unit.

JOHN J. DALY.

CHARLES L. DALY.

